Means for telegraphing.



\PATENTED SEPT. 27, 1904.

J. BEARD.

MEANS FOR TELEGRAPHING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27. 1904.

NO MODEL.

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Patented September 27, 1904- PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BEARD, OF LIVINGSTON, MONTANA.

MEANS FOR TELEGRAPHING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,792, datedSeptember 27, 1904.

Application filed April 27, 1904.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BEARD, a citizen of the United States, residingat Livingston,

in the county of Park and State of Montana,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forTelegraphing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to means for transmitting messages by theMorse system, the purpose being to obviate the use of the usual key,which is open to the objection of producing what is known as operatorsparalysis and not infrequently preventing the interruption of thecurrent by sparking between the points.

In accordance with this invention a bedpiece is provided with a seriesof electricallyinsulated contacts and constitutes one terminal of thecircuit, and a stylus forms the other terminal and is adapted to bemanipulated by hand to be passed over the bed, so as to produce thedots, dashes, and spaces of the characters of the Morse system.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure1 is aperspective View of the transmitting means. Fig. 2 is a detailview of the stylus, a portion being broken away to show the preferredmeans of connecting the wire or electric conductor thereto. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section of the base-piece, showing the manner of connectingthe contact-pieces in series.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The salient feature of the invention is a series of electric contacts 1in electrical connection, but electrically insulated at the surface,whereby the passing of the stylus thereover $erial No. 205,191. (Nomodel.)

will produce a series of electric impulses in the line corresponding tothe dots of the wellknown Morse alphabet. In order that the electriccontacts may not offer any obstruction to the stylus, their surfaces, aswell as the surface of the intervening insulation 2, is in the sameplane. While the electric contacts are electrically insulated at thesurface, itis important that they be electrically connected, and anymeans may be devised for attaining these ends. As shown, the body of thebase 3 is preferably of metal, spaces being provided in the surface toform seats, in which plates 2, corresponding to the electric insulatingmaterial, are fitted, the surface of the plates 2 being flush with thesurface of the base, so that the stylus may have unobstructed movementover the base when transmitting a message. The plates 2 may beof hardrubber or any insulating material commonly employed in electricalapparatus. A binding-post 4 is connected to the base 3, and theline-Wire 5 is coupled thereto in the usual manner.

The stylus comprises a handle 6, of any suitable insulating material, ametal end 7, coupled to the handle, and a rolling contact 8. The handle6 has a screw 9 let into its inner end and threaded into an opening inthe coupling end of the part 7. A transverse opening 10 is formed in themetal end 7 to receive the wire 11, which is held in place by means ofthe screw 9. It will thus be understood that the screw 9 performs thedual oflice of connecting the parts 6 and 7 as well as securing theconducting-wire 11. The end portion of the metal part 7 is deflected orbent, as shown at 12, to enable the stylus tobe inclined when held inthe hand and the bent end portion 12 to occupy a vertical position,whereby the face of the rolling contact 8 comes square upon the base, soas to insure positive electrical connection between it and thecontacts 1. The outer portion of the metal end 7 is cut away upon oneside, and a spring 13 is arranged opposite to the cut-away portion andis connected at one end to the part 7 and is apertured near its oppositeend to receive the journal of the rolling contact 8. The terminalportion of the spring 13 is bent to correspond to the bent portion 12 ofthe metal end 7, and the rolling contact 8 is held between the terminalportions of the spring 13 and the said contact 8 firmly against theportion 12.

This pressure may be regulated by a set-screw 14:, threaded into anopening in the cut-away portion of the metal end 7. The provision of thespring 13 insures the maintenance of electrical connection between therolling contact and the metal end 7 at all times, which is essential tothe operativeness of the appliance.

The base is electrically connected either to one pole of the batteryor'to the line-wire, and the stylus is electrically connected to theother part, as well known in the art of connecting the usualtelegraph-key to corresponding parts. The base is supported upon atable, stand, or the like, as may be found most convenient, and thestylus is held inthe hand of the operator in substantially the samemanner as a pencil or pen. To produce'a consecutive series of electricalimpulses corresponding to the dots of the Morse alphabet, the rollingcontact of the stylus is passed over the base, so as to make uniformconnection with the contacts 1. Dashes are produced by delaying therolling contact upon any one or more of the contacts. Spaces are theresult of pausing upon one or more of the insulating-surfaces betweenthe contacts 1. It will be understood that by a proper manipulation ofthe stylusthat is, sweeping over the contacts 1 or pausing upon any oneof the contacts or the intermediate insulating-surfacesdots, dashes, andspaces may be produced corresponding to the characters of the Morsealphabet, thereby making it possible to transmit messages by means of aseries of electrical impulses in the same manner as by the use of theusual telegraph-key.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Inmeans for transmitting messages telegraphically, a base comprising aseries of electric contacts separated by insulating material, a stylushaving a metal end, a rolling contact carried by the metal end, and aspring exerting a pressure upon the rolling contact to hold same againstthe metal end and insure the maintenance of electrical connection.

2. In means for transmittmg messages tele graphically, a base comprisinga series of JOHN BEARD. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

ALEx LIVINGSTON, W. McKEE.

